Senegal Cities

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Senegal Cities by Population

47 cities shown of 47 total Senegal cities that are over 1,000 in population...

1. Dakar 2,476,400
2. Grand Dakar 2,352,057
3. Pikine 874,062
4. Thies Nones 252,320
5. Saint-Louis 176,000
6. Ziguinchor 159,778
7. Tiebo 100,289
8. Mbake 74,100
9. Kolda 58,809
10. Richard-Toll 44,752
11. Joal-Fadiout 36,735
12. Dara 30,000
13. Ndibene Dahra 27,741
14. Bignona 26,237
15. Pourham 24,146
16. Velingara 22,441

17. Nioro du Rip 20,711
18. Sedhiou 19,702
19. Mekhe 19,242
20. Kedougou 17,922
21. Nguekokh 17,885
22. Pout 17,752
23. Kayar 17,193
24. Guinguineo 15,395
25. Ouro Sogui 14,888
26. Koungheul 14,725
27. Ndioum 13,198
28. Khombole 12,061
29. Sokone 11,680
30. Tiadiaye 10,853
31. Kanel 10,165
32. Ndofane 9,946

33. Rosso 9,923
34. Gandiaye 9,894
35. Waounde 9,085
36. Diofior 8,645
37. Tionk Essil 8,151
38. Diawara 8,112
39. Marsassoum 6,817
40. Passi 6,367
41. Golere 5,461
42. Foundiougne 5,306
43. Seme 5,075
44. Oussouye 4,107
45. Warang 3,500
46. Polel Diaoube-http://polel-diaoube.info 3,000
47. Ranerou 1,426

Senegal History

Eastern Senegal was once part of the Empire of Ghana. It was founded by the Tukulor in the middle valley of the Senegal River. Islam, the dominant religion in Senegal, first came to the region in the 11th century. In the 13th and 14th centuries, the area came under the influence of the Mandingo empires to the east; the Jolof Empire of Senegal also was founded during this time.

Various European powersPortugal, the Netherlands, and Great Britaincompeted for trade in the area from the 15th century onward, until in 1677, France ended up in possession of what had become an important slave trade departure pointthe infamous island of Gore next to modern Dakar. Millions of West African people were shipped from here. It was only in the 1850s that the French began to expand their foothold onto the Senegalese mainland, at the expense of native kingdoms such as Waalo, Cayor, Baol, and Jolof.

In January 1959 Senegal and the French Sudan merged to form the Mali Federation, which became fully independent on 20 June 1960, as a result of the independence and the transfer of power agreement signed with France on 4 April 1960. Due to internal political difficulties, the Federation broke up on August 20. Senegal and Sudan proclaimed independence. Lopold Senghor was elected Senegal's first president in September 1960.

Later after the breakup of the Mali Federation, President Senghor and Prime Minister Mamadou Dia governed together under a parliamentary system. In December 1962 their political rivalry led to an attempted coup by Prime Minister Dia. Although this was put down without bloodshed, Dia was arrested and imprisoned, and Senegal adopted a new constitution that consolidated the president's power. In 1980 President Senghor decided to retire from politics, and he handed power over in 1981 to his handpicked successor, Abdou Diouf.

Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia on 1 February 1982. However, the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace talks, a southern separatist group in the Casamance region has clashed sporadically with government forces since 1982. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping.

Abdou Diouf was president between 1981 and 2000. He encouraged broader political participation, reduced government involvement in the economy, and widened Senegal's diplomatic engagements, particularly with other developing nations. Domestic politics on occasion spilled over into street violence, border tensions, and a violent separatist movement in the southern region of the Casamance. Nevertheless, Senegal's commitment to democracy and human rights strengthened. Diouf served four terms as president.